SFO charges five former Glencore employees
The SFO has today charged Alex Beard, Andrew Gibson, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and Martin Wakefield with conspiring to make corrupt payments.
Image of oil rig
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today charged Alex Beard, Andrew Gibson, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and Martin Wakefield with conspiring to make corrupt payments in order to benefit commodities giant Glencore’s oil operations in West Africa.
The five individuals, all former employees of the company, have been charged in connection with the awarding of a range of oil contracts variously spanning Cameroon, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast from 2007 to 2014.
Andrew Gibson and Martin Wakefield have also been charged in relation to the falsification of invoices to Glencore’s London office marked as service fees to a Nigerian oil consultancy from 2007 to 2011.
A hearing is scheduled for 10am on Tuesday 10th September at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Nick Ephgrave QPM, said:
“Bribery damages financial markets and causes lasting harm to communities.
“Today’s action is an important step towards exposing overseas corruption and holding those who are responsible to account.”